Wrench



March 27, 1928. 1,663,920

A. W. PETERSON WRENCH Original Filed Jun e l1. 1924 2 slung-:Smet 1 INVENTOR AXELYV. PETERSON.

ATTORNEYS.

March 27, 1928.

A. W. PETERSON WRENCH Original Filed June l1. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. .9.

Fis. la

INVENTOR AXE L N PETERSN BY f ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AXEL W. PETERSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

WRENCH.

Application filed June 11, 1924, Serial No. 719,407. Renewed September 27, 1927.

The present invention relates to improvements in wrenches and has particular reference to a pipe wrench, although it may be used as an ordinary monkey-wrench. The principal object of the present invention is to provide a wrench of the character described in which the movable jaw, instead of reaching around the shank of the wrench,

is secured to one face thereof, which allows of greater' freedom in shaping the shank. Vhere the movable jaw reaches around the shank and slides on the same, the shank necessarily has to be of the same diameter throughout its operative length, while with my means of holding the movable jaw the shank may be tapered, for instance, so as to be lighter at its extreme end than at the head, whereby the amount of metal is decreased and the weight of the wrench diminished, the latter feature being of particular importance where heavy wrenches are involved. It is proposed for this purpose to provide a, longitudinally slotted shank and to have the movable jaw slide in the slot while providing means on the inside of the shank adapted to cooperate with the jaw in camping the same upon the edges of the s ot.

Various other improvements are contemplated in the present invention relating to the general form of the shank, to its construction, to means for securing the stationary head to the shank, and for means for tightening the grip of the two jaws upon an element to be held while the shank is being manipulated. Further objects and advantages of my device will appear as the specilication proceeds.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 shows a side view of my wrench, Figure 2 an edge view taken at right angles to that of Figure 1, Figure 3 a. vertical section through the same, Figure 4 a detail view illustrating a port-ion of the movable jaw, Figure 5 a sectional view taken along line 5 5 of Figure 3, Figure 6 a detail view of a jaw plate associated with the stationary jaw, Figure 7 a detail view of a jaw plate associated with the movable jaw, Figure 8 a side elevation of a modiiied form of wrench, certain portions being shown in section, Figure 9 an edge view taken at right angles to that of Figure 8 and embracing the movable jaw portion oniy, Figure 10 a side View ci: the mein element of the movable jaw, Figure 11 a perspective view of the element cooperating with the movable jaw in holding the same in place, Figure 12 a perspective detail view of a wedge member for effecting the release of the movable jaw and Figure 13 is a detail perspective of the wrench member for tightening the stationary head to the shank. lVhile I have shown only the preferred forms of my invention, I wish to have it understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the claims hereto attached without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring first to the wrench illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 it will be seen that I preferably use a tapered shank 1 terminating at its heavier end in the jaw 2. The shank is preferably made hollow and of rectangular cross-section with a slot 3 provided in one of the faces thereof. The jaw 2 follows the general out-line of the shank and consists of two spaced elements 4 and 6 between which may be received a projection 7 rising from the back of a gripping plate 8, while a screw 9 is used for tightening the two members 4 and 6 upon the projection 7.

The movable jaw 11 comprises a casting 12 resembling in its form the jaw now commonly used, but having an extension 13 adapted to project through the slot 3 of the shank into the interior of the same in such amanner that the faces 14 of the element 12 on opposite sides of the extension 13'lie against the edges of the slot 3 so as to ride on the outside of the same. The extension 13 is formed with a central opening 16 adapted to have a spring 17 disposed therein so as to bear against a connecting element- 18 of two plates 19 straddling the extension 13 and interconnected at the bottom by a slanting plate 21. The upper edges of the plates 19 are tapered as shown at 22 and run parallel to two flanges 23 projecting from the upper edge of the extension 13. A wedge 24 riding between two depending lips 26 of the jaw bears with its lower face 27 on the connecting plate 21 and with its upper face 28 on the bottom face of the extension 13. The wedge consists of two spaced elements 29 straddling a pin 31 extending from the eX- tension 13 downwardly through the wedge and the plate 21. This latter pin is curved away from the slot 3 and serves as a guide for the lower end of the two plates 19.

Normally the spring 17 forces the plates upwardly and causes their toot-hed faces 2a v nce 32 to engage with the toothed inner laces 33 oi. the edges of the slot 3, the lower portion of the plates 19 being; guided by the pin 31 and the upper portion oifthe plates being guided by the flanges vuWhen the wedge 24 is pushed inwardly by the operator, a downward impetus is given to the -i two plates 19 through the connecting plate 211.l 'lheplatesy are now guided to move away from the toothed inner edges et the slotbyvrt-he guide pin 31 as well as by the tendency ot the spring 17, which in. opposing the downward motion causes a close Contact to be maintained. between the lower edge 27 ofthe wedge and the connecting plate 21. andv thereby causes the plates 19 to movewithout changing their vertical positionnso that the whole inner tace et the plates 19 moves to the lett as viewed in Figure 3 and separates :trom the inner ednjes of the slot, thereby allowing the movable jaw to beV slid upwardly or downwardly tor thepurpose oit adjustingits position.

The movable jaw has a gripping plate Ll1 associatedtherewith which is slidable between the spaced upper walls 4t2 of the movable jaw74 the upper edges olf the inembers `42,presentinp; ya slope as shown at 43 causing the gripping` plate to move toward thegrippinp; `plate on the stationary jaw when `pushed inwardly. A spring all nor Inally tends to lpush the plate outwardly into a position where its outer edge is substantially flush with the outer edge ot the bodygportion of the movable jaw. lt will be realized that,V due to this construction., when theftwo jawsare engaged with a pipe andathewshanlris turned for the purpose of rotat-ingthe pipe7 the gripping plate il is urged inwardly and when yielding is forced into` closer Contact with `the pipe, whereby its grip is tightened. V

They operatingV portion ot' the shanlr through' which the slot 3 is continued to acilitatethe insertion of the movable jaw may beiclosed by means ot the member 36 fitting` over the slotand formed to provide a. ,convenient rest for the fingers when the shank is .gripped for operating,r the same. The member 36 may be held in place by means `ot a plate 37 bent into itl shape and. fitting Vinside of the member 36, towhich it is attached by means ci rivets 38 in such a manner thatitslegs 39 project beyond the member 36 andare adaptedto be sprung into the shank so as to hold the member 36 by .its rictional engagement with the walls ot the shank.`

Inhigures 8 to 13-`is illustrated a wrench Aoit slightly different construction, although built as a whole along the same general. principles This latter wrench is principal-- lydesigned for heavy worlr, and the model from which the drawing' was vmade is a wrench about three test long., lin a wrench of this character it is very essential that ing the handling as well/as tor the saving` oit material. The shank 51 is built substantially alongthe same principles as the shank previously described and presents internally toothed edges i2 on opposite sides of the slot in which the movable jaw 54 `is adapted to slide. The plates 56 in this ine stance are provided with elongated slots 57 riding onv a pin 53 extending' laterally from the extension ot the movable jaw with springs 61 serving; to push the plates 56 upwardly intoengagement with theu toothed ede'es 52 while a wedge 62 bearing against the connecting plate 63 for the two plates 56 pushes the latter plates downwardly and inwardly and the form oit the slots 57 as well as the spring` action cooperates with the wedge in etliectinef a simultaneous disengagement ot' the toothed surfaces along the whole line. rlhe gripping,l plate 64- is made slidahle on the inclined plane 66with a spring' 67 tending; to push the gripping.

plate outwardly, the latter being1 guided by a cylindrical projection. 63 riding in a cyk lindrical groove 69, lwhile a pin 7l riding in a` slot 72 olf the cylindrical member 68 limits its outward motionu 'lhe stationary head 73 is preferably ,made l removable and consists or a plate bent into ll shape so as to tit on the extreme end of the shank 51 and to present theprcjecting ments 77 #tor the wedge i8, which lat-tei is driven between the said abutmentsy and the shanlr for tightening' the jaw upon the shank and is held in place by means of a small transverse member 79 adapted to be driven laterally through registering grooves 81. The gripping plate 82 'for the statione ary jaw is provided with a projection 83 adapted to extend through a perforation 84 in a base plate 86 connecting the two plates 76, which latter projection is held yinplace by means o'l" a screw 8T threaded into the same and bearing against a plate 8G.

The operative principles et both wrenches are the same andthe principal advantages oit the same are that they allow any toim ot a shank to be used as long;- the same presents one straight lace and a longitudinal .slot Awithin the same in which the movable jaw may ride and 'be secured in place according to the principles outlined in the above specification..

,l claim:

1. ln a wrench ot the character described, a longitudinally slotted shanlrhaving a jaw thereon, a second jaw extending into and slidable in the slot bearing on the outer edges thereof, an element within the shanlr having,r yielding means associated therewith causing the same to bear against the inner edge of the slot for holding the second jaw in position, and a wedge manipulated from the outside of said shank for rendering said element inactive and allowing the second jaw to be moved in the slot.

2. In a wrench a slotted shank having coacting jaws and an operating end for presenting parallel walls at the operating end and a closing element for the slot at said end having a U shaped element secured therein with the legs of the latter element projecting outside of the closing element and being adapted to be sprung between the parallel walls for holding the closing element in place.

3. In a wrench of the character described, a hollow shank formed with a longitudinal slot in the wall thereof and having a jaw thereon, a second jaw slidable in the slot made to bear on the outside of the shank and to extend into the hollow of the shank, an

element movable relative t0 the second jaw normally holding the latter in a fixed position relative to the shank, and a wedge manipulated from the outside of said shank for rendering said element inactive allowing the position of the second jaw to be adjusted.

4. In a wrench of the character described, a hollow shank formed with a longitudianal slot in the wall thereof and having a jaw thereon, a second aw slidable in the slot made to bear on the outside of the shank and to extend into the hollow of the shank, an element carried by the said jaw and disposed within the shank and movable relative thereto for normally holding the second liaw in a fixed position relative to said shank and a wedge manipulated from the outside of said shank for rendering said element inactive allowing the position of the second jaw to be adjusted.

AXEL W. PETERSON. 

